Larry Rea’s Mississippi Outdoors Report

By Larry Rea

NEWS AND NOTES:

Conservation milestone celebrated: Memphis-based Ducks Unlimited and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency recently celebrated the enrollment of the one millionth acre into the popular Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Ducks Unlimited has been a part of many of the acres of restoration work put on the ground through CREP. Scott Sutherland, director of the DU Governmental Affairs Office, was joined at the ceremony in Washington by acting Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Conner and Rep. Tim Holden of Pennsylvania and Rep. Tim Walz of Minnesota, whose district was home to the record breaking acre. A component of USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program, CREP is a voluntary land retirement program that helps agricultural producers protect environmentally sensitive land, decrease erosion, restore wildlife habitat and safeguard ground and surface water. CREP’s parent program, the Conservation Reserve Program is viewed by the sportsman/ conservation community as being the single most successful conservation program, adding over 2.2 million waterfowl to the fall flight each year. The milestone acres are located in Pipestone, Minn. at the home of Steve and Margaret Lange, part of 60 acres of CREP on their property. There are more that 120,000 acres of CREP restored land in Minnesota.

Bear found dead: According to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, Parks officials the cause of death for a black bear found at a northwest Mississippi hunting club in early January remains inconclusive. Members of a hunting club found the carcass of a male black bear weighing approximately 250 pounds on club property in Bolivar County and reported it to MDWFP conservation officers. “We exhausted every resource available, but we’re still unable to determine a cause of death,” said Brad Young, bear program leader with the MDWFP. Biologists reported that the carcass failed to yield conclusive evidence. While this sub-species of bear isn’t on the endangered species list, it’s still unlawful to hunt, kill or trap a black bear in Mississippi. There are approximately 80-100 throughout the state and they are monitored closely. “We take our bear program seriously and any time we find a dead bear we’re going to investigate the cause of death,” Young said.

Helping the trees: Orders for the 2008 planting season as part of the MDWFP’s Acorns for Wildlife program are still being accepted with the exception of Nuttall oaks, which have been sold out. Acorns for Wildlife is a non-profit, cooperative initiative aimed at providing quality, one-year-old, bare-root, oak seedlings for establishing wildlife enrichment plantings on private and public lands. These oak food plots will improve wildlife habitat and provide acorns for wild turkeys, deer, and many other wildlife species. More than 20,000 Cherrybark oak, Nuttall oak, Shumard oak, swamp chestnut oak (cow oak), water oak, and white oak seedlings were sold to the general public and were planted during February- March 2007. The seedlings, along with oak-specific fertilizer packets, were sold below cost due to contributions from the MDWFP, National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), Mississippi Chapter of the NWTF, Greater Jackson Chapter of the NWTF, and the Mississippi Forestry Commission. The acorns for this initiative are being collected in Mississippi and grown by the Georgia Forestry Commission. Approximately 30,000 seedlings will be available to the public this year. To receive a brochure and order form, call (601) 432-2199, (601) 454-4455 or e-mail jkoloskinwtf@yahoo.com.

New/old chairman named: Sen. Tommy Gollott (R-Biloxi) was recently appointed by Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant to chair the Senate’s Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committee, as well as serve as vice chairman to the Ports and Marine Resources Committee. It’s Gollott’s second tour of duty on the panel having served as wildlife chairman in the 1980s and early 1990s and has been a member of the committee since. He followed Lynn Posey (D-Union Church), who successfully ran for Public Service Commissioner. Billy Hudson, R-Purvis, will serve as vice chairman. Other members assigned by Bryant include Sidney Albritton, R-Picayune; Bob M. Dearing, D-Natchez; Merle Flowers, R- Southaven; Cindy Hyde-Smith, D-Brookhaven; Ezell Lee, D-Picayune; Chris McDaniel, R-Laurel; Eric Powell, D-Corinth; Bill Stone, D- Ashland; and Gray Tollison, D-Oxford. . . . Blaine ‘Bo’ Eaton ( D- Taylorsville) has been named chairman of the House Committee on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, replacing Eric Robinson of Quitman, who did not seek re-election after heading the committee for four years. Deryk Parker (D-Lucedale) was named vice chairman. Other members include Brian Aldridge (R-Tupelo), Scott Bounds (D- Philadelphia) and Phillip Gunn (R-Clinton).

Park Improvements slated: For you anglers who make J.P. Coleman State Park/Pickwick Lake in Northeast Mississippi one of your favorite fishing destinations, there’s good news on the way in the form of park improvements. The improvements, which include remodeled motel rooms, a 60-foot boat launch, additional parking and a floating pier, are being made to help attract fishing tournaments to the area, according to Gary Matthews, executive director of the Tishomingo County Development Foundation in Iuka. It is estimated that 200-300 anglers will compete in the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League tournament on April 12 out of Coleman SP. That’s why officials are hopeful of completing the area improvements by April 1. Sixty additional parking slots are included in the improvements, along with a new road accessing the parking lot. The 60-foot floating pier will be anchored to the retaining wall.

Spreading out: North Mississippi-based Mossy Oak Properties announced recently the continued expansion of its network of offices. Launched in 2003 to assist landowners, sportsmen, and investors, Mossy Oak Properties network has grown to 37 offices in nine states with 250 network members. Offices are currently located in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Missouri and Wisconsin. The company focuses on properties with investment and recreational benefits. Mossy Oak Properties is an affiliate of Haas Outdoors Inc. Founded in 1986 and headquartered in West Point, Miss., Haas Outdoors Inc. is the outdoor industry leader in modern camouflage design, international licensing and marketing. For more information about franchise opportunities or to find a Mossy Oak Properties office call (866) 667-2289 or www.mossyoakproperties.com.

Mossy Oak, 2: In another Mossy Oak development, the company recently introduced its newest pattern, Treestand, designed specifically for hardcore whitetail hunters who hunt from an elevated position. “Hunting whitetails from a tree is one of our favorite pursuits here at Mossy Oak,” said founder and CEO Toxey Haas. “If we took the time to add up all the hours that our staff has spent in a treestand over the years, we’d probably wonder just how anything gets done around here. But it is exactly that dedication to the sport that helps us bring you a pattern as effective as Treestand.” Nearly 20 years ago, Mossy Oak introduced the original version of Treestand by being the first company to incorporate tree limbs into a pattern. Almost two decades later, Treestand now utilizes digital technology to exactly reproduce the details and subtleties of actual tree limbs laid over the neutral tones most commonly seen when looking up through bare trees.

Hunting dates: Quail – Nov. 22-March 1 . . . Rabbit – Oct. 13- Feb. 28 . . . Squirrel (Zone 1) – Sept. 29-Feb. 28 . . . Deer primitive weapon – Jan. 18-31 (either sex on private and open public lands).

Outdoors calendar: Sportsman’s Warehouse, 7952 Winchester Road (store manager Dwayne Leamond, 753-5000) – Thursdays, fly-tying class, 6-8 p.m., $20 fee for basic materials; . . . .Sportsman’s Warehouse, 130 Marathon Way, Southaven (store manager Jerry Thompson, 662-349-5500) – Sundays, Fishing seminars, 1-3 p.m., learn new techniques and local hot spots for fishing. . . . . Bass Pro Shops, 6140 Macon Road (Don Gambill, 213-5800) -Saturday and Sunday of each month, live fish feeding, 1-4 p.m.; Jan. 28, Trout Fly Fishing Workshop, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Feb. 11, MSFF Workshop, 6:30 p.m. . . .Trinity Baptist Church, 7200 Swinnea Road, Southaven – March 1, wild-game dinner featuring noted outdoorsman David Hale of Knight & Hale fame; 5 p.m.; (662) 349-3333. Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova – Feb. 8, Bellevue Sportsmen’s Sportsman’s Extravaganza; featuring David Blanton, executive producer of ESPN2′s Realtree Outdoors; contacts Bart Beretta at (901) 259-2274 or Steve Marcum at (901) 347- 5540. . . Go Fish! Program, Museum of Natural Science, Jackson – Feb. 2, seminars beginning at 9 a.m.; seminars are free with museum admission . . . Bass Madness University, Bass Pro Shops in Pearl – Feb. 16, 8 a.m.; $99 and reservations being taken; will feature Roland Martin, Woo Daves, David Fritts, Stacey King, Denny Brauer and Chris Daves; (601) 933-3717.

Got a Mississippi outdoors item of note? Please e-mail Larry Rea at lroutdoors@comcast.net. You can also listen to Larry Rea on Outdoors with Larry Rea on Saturday mornings from 6:30-7:30 on Country Legends WMC 79.

Originally published by Larry Rea .

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